I've got almost the entire map converted to a clean version. I have as many text labels as possible (based on what is on the map), but many are partially or fully unreadable. If anyone has any info on the text labels (the small ones; the large ones are readable), that would be a big help.

I've got almost the entire map converted to a clean version. I have as many text labels as possible (based on what is on the map), but many are partially or fully unreadable. If anyone has any info on the text labels (the small ones; the large ones are readable), that would be a big help.

Managed to work out most of them. Starting from the top left it looks like (format = Area: small text):

Looking at the overall layout, it looks like the prevaling winds must be from the North West: wealthy areas in the north and west, smelly businesses in the south east. This makes the location of the wealthy districts (e.g. Niamstead, Covettry and West Hamble) South East of the East Docks and Canbree/Rookeries slums unusual. This really only makes sense if the the wealthy districts are at higher altitude, above the odor of the slums. Which gives us an elevated area that runs south from the City Legion Barracks and the Old Qaali Fortress to Covettry and the Hambles. This also explains the "Rookeries": a steep area, overgrown with slum dwellings, that climbs up to the higher areas occupied by the wealthier trades.

In the Western half of the City both the Temple and Mages Quarters are likely to be located on rising terrain: Temples to show off their grandeur and Mages residences for the better views. This suggest that in these areas the ground rises steadily from the river to the base of the cliffs surrounding the Qaali Quarter. The other districts around the base of the cliffs may also rise, though probably to lower heights.

Overall, rather than being a flat city with a couple of fortified high areas, this suggests that there is considerable variation in height around Himmelveil.

As a balance for all this elevation, Himmelveil is also famous for its canals. This means large areas of the city must be low lying and flat. West of the Kriegstrom, the districts of Granary and West Docks would be serviced by canals, although large areas of Granary would sit higher above the river to ensure essential grain stores are safe from flooding.

Where the canals on the west half of the city may be mainly functional, east of the Kreigstrom they are a way of life. The districts of Colecollen, East Docks and the Alggardi quarter are probably riddled with canals (in many areas, there may be no roads at all). The canals could also reach right around the south of the city, through Salmongut to Millsheath, and may even extend up as far as Piperforge.

As for the canals themselves, the ideal is an inland canals system supplied with fresh water from the Kreigstrom, and which operates at a level above the high tide line. This is easiest if the tidal zone only reaches as far as the Grandbridge (fresh river water above the Grandbridge, tidal below). The inland canals can then be fed from the Kreigstrom (through Colecollen district) - the height difference this gives keeps the canals clean by giving them a slow but steady flow south where they eventually drain into the sea. This leads to potentially two parts to the canal system: the inland fresh water canals whose height is stable; and the tidal canals whose water level may vary considerably over the course of a day. The two systems would be linked by locks to protect the fresh-water inland system.

The locations of the docks suggests that the south coast itself is generally too exposed for most commercial boat traffic. Canals in the southern districts are therefore probably not linked to the sea. The exception would be at the docks in The Yards district, which are then linked back to the fresh-water canal system (though how fresh it would actually be by the time it gets there is anyone's guess).

With a canal system this extensive, some of the major routes marked in the eastern half of the city may well be waterways, rather than roads. [We may want to agree on whether this is the case, and if so, which ones.]

Moderator posts are in green oraquamarine.My posts are my personal opinion only and do not represent the official view of WorldWorksGames.

Below, is my first pass at the map conversion. I will attack the elevation as you have described it next (so this is fairly flat with the two obvious areas on plateaus).

Also, as you can see, this is the "clean" version, with only major city/geographical features. I have hidden the text labels (and grid overlay) for now so I can actually draw the map. All of big the text is in, and I will use
Zenguy's list to fill in the rest.

1. Size of each grid square: I think 6x6 tiles is a fair compromise between breadth and build time. This would allow people to easily break a grid square into manageable pieces in collaboration. Remember, there has to be a sewer/subterranean level below the street for EVERY build. So in a 6x6 build you are talking 72 tiles, 36 for each level. THoughts?

2. Other elevations: I say the intermediate elevations are up to the individual builder. I will try to provide some loose direction in the city background, but I think this is a place you let people loose with their imagination. You've pegged the extreme elevations, so that should help guide people.

"The stone that the builder refused, will become the head cornerstone."

1. Size of each grid square: I think 6x6 tiles is a fair compromise between breadth and build time. This would allow people to easily break a grid square into manageable pieces in collaboration. Remember, there has to be a sewer/subterranean level below the street for EVERY build. So in a 6x6 build you are talking 72 tiles, 36 for each level. THoughts?

We might even be able to break the above-ground below-ground separately so perhaps people do not necessarily have to design both...I have to think about that more. Unless we do a "basement" level that is optional for each above-ground square and have the actual sewers and dungeons below that. Let me know what you think about that.

Quote:

2. Other elevations: I say the intermediate elevations are up to the individual builder. I will try to provide some loose direction in the city background, but I think this is a place you let people loose with their imagination. You've pegged the extreme elevations, so that should help guide people.

Sounds good on this point.

Last edited by joydyhee on 06-01-2011, 02:27 PM, edited 1 time in total.

above ground/subterranean split: I think people collaborating on a tile can split it any way they choose, but I also think you want to leave it as a standing rule that the tile has to address a subterranean layer. This keeps things standardized across the whole city. It's fine if someone builds out a street and states that there is no subterranean layer or sewer below, but this at least gives people working on adjacent tiles a heads up that their sewers and such need to end at the border of their tile.

"The stone that the builder refused, will become the head cornerstone."

Bump!This was such a Phantasmagorical idea you guys started. Status?I just started grabbing some Himmerveil TLX sets and printing out tiles and this seems a great way to start using them as I do not have a gaming group to otherwise use them for [damg dangling participle!). I look forward to participating.

I was thinking that there should be a cavern/mine complex deep within either of the butte/bluffs...

~I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albequerque... but I know where my towel is!

above ground/subterranean split: I think people collaborating on a tile can split it any way they choose, but I also think you want to leave it as a standing rule that the tile has to address a subterranean layer. This keeps things standardized across the whole city. It's fine if someone builds out a street and states that there is no subterranean layer or sewer below, but this at least gives people working on adjacent tiles a heads up that their sewers and such need to end at the border of their tile.

How are we thinking of handling the "layered" feature of the city in terms of subsequent cities being built atop one another? Is this being interpreted as an optional depth(s) in certain areas to represent these older cities (likely with usually one or two levels)? And would these be below the existing sewers - or is the entire city using in (some parts) the original sewers that might be dozens if not hundreds of feet below the current surface levcel. The main problem here, of course, is that the main sewer level would have to be at sea-level, otherwise where would it go? It could be conceived that some portions of the earliest cities sank under the weight of the later builds. Some of their original connections to other parts would have been severed to in this case a sewer (or street) line would come to an abrupt end.

We will definitely have to have a subterraenean number system for the levels. Has this been addressed as of yet?

~I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albequerque... but I know where my towel is!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Yahoo [Bot] and 1 guest

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum